Huge Interchanges

[Chris]

near Rotterdam (A15-A16-A38)

Crazy stuff. I'd be interested in learning the story behind this one nearby...

That used to be a windmill interchange (the only one in the Netherlands), but it was reconfigured due to the construction of the Betuwe Route freight railroad.

Yeah that's a mammoth one.  I also like how it combines cloverleaf and stack designs yet is not a cloverstack.

It also features a fly-over with 3 lanes, that is very rare in Europe.

[shoptb1]

That used to be a windmill interchange (the only one in the Netherlands), but it was reconfigured due to the construction of the Betuwe Route freight railroad.

Is it normal in the Netherlands for the previous bridges to be left standing following a reconfiguration?

[Truvelo]

Is it normal in the Netherlands for the previous bridges to be left standing following a reconfiguration?

There's one here with an unused north facing ramp.

[hm insulators]

The Newhall Pass between Los Angeles and points north (Bakersfield, Fresno and so forth) was always a challenge, beginning from the days of the horse and buggy; even today, as mentioned in my earlier post about the Newhall Interchange, it's a daily traffic nightmare for commuters during rush hour. Traffic using the I-5, I-210, California 14, even I-405 has to fight this bottleneck going to places like Santa Clarita, Palmdale, or the above-mentioned cities.

The first paved road through the Newhall Pass was the original Ridge Route, parts of which can still be driven, preferably in a high-clearance vehicle. Later, both US 99 and US 6 used the pass as a split; after sharing the road through the San Fernando Valley, US 6 went through Palmdale, Lancaster and beyond, while US 99 went through Newhall, Bakersfield and beyond.

Sometime in the 1950's, the first freeway was constructed over the Newhall Pass; I believe this first freeway is now the truck bypass lanes for the current I-5. During the turn of the 1970's, the current Newhall Interchange (I-5, I-210, California 14) was constructed in this narrow pass; judging by the road cuts, they must've had to remove and/or blow up an awful lot of mountain to fit the interchange in there!

By February, 1971, the big new interchange was literally just days from opening to traffic. On February 9 of that year, a large earthquake rocked the Los Angeles area and knocked down a number of the new flyovers; one of them crushing a pickup truck with two men inside. Fortunately, the earthquake happened at 6AM, so there was very little traffic--in 1971, the Valencia/Saugus/Newhall area (now known as Santa Clarita) was still sparsely populated, as was the even more remote Palmdale/Lancaster area.

The Newhall Interchange was entirely rebuilt and finally opened in the mid-seventies. By 1994, the Santa Clarita area had exploded in population and even the once-remote Palmdale/Lancaster area had become bedroom communities for Los Angeles with the Newhall Pass becoming the aforementioned commuters' headache. On January 17, 1994 (fortunately MLK Junior Day in that year, plus it was about 4:30 AM, so traffic was virtually non-existent), another large earthquake rattled Los Angeles, collapsing some of the same bridges knocked down by the '71 tremor, plus other bridges. (Some of us might remember the TV images of a big rig and motor home trapped on a bridge whose approaches had given way, so the bridge was literally attached to nothing.) A short while later, a motorcycle officer tried to use the transition from the southbound 14 to the southbound 5, and didn't realize the bridge was gone. He rode to his death off the end of the broken roadway.

Once more, the Newhall Interchange was rebuilt, and today, they are installing HOV-only flyovers.

[haljackey]

Some more bad boys from Google Earth

Flyovers on steroids


Weird stacked interchange


Looks like two interchanges, but in reality its only one.


Cloverstack in close proximity to two parclos.

[thenetwork]

In the late '60s, per the Official Ohio State Roadmap, the I-70/I-77 Interchange was the largest in the world:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=cambridge,+oh&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.038806,79.013672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Cambridge,+Guernsey,+Ohio&ll=39.998871,-81.556191&spn=0.016076,0.038581&t=k&z=15

Then in the late 70's, I believe the I-96/I-275/I-696/M-5 (nee M-102) interchange was the largest.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=novi,+Mi&sll=39.998871,-81.556191&sspn=0.016076,0.038581&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Novi,+Oakland,+Michigan&ll=42.487036,-83.430862&spn=0.030951,0.077162&t=k&z=14

[mightyace]

In the late '60s, per the Official Ohio State Roadmap, the I-70/I-77 Interchange was the largest in the world:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=cambridge,+oh&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.038806,79.013672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Cambridge,+Guernsey,+Ohio&ll=39.998871,-81.556191&spn=0.016076,0.038581&t=k&z=15

Assuming that was not ODOT propaganda, I assume they're talking about land area because, IIRC I-70 and I-77 are still two lanes to this day at the interchange.

[shoptb1]

Assuming that was not ODOT propaganda, I assume they're talking about land area because, IIRC I-70 and I-77 are still two lanes to this day at the interchange.

Yeah, I was also wondering about that claim, and how the 4-level stack on the US-101 and SR-110 in Los Angeles completed in 1953 wasn't larger.  The only thing that I could think of was total land size (including right-of-way) acquired to construct said interchange.  Seems like a cop-out to me.

[andytom]

Assuming that was not ODOT propaganda, I assume they're talking about land area because, IIRC I-70 and I-77 are still two lanes to this day at the interchange.

Yeah, I was also wondering about that claim, and how the 4-level stack on the US-101 and SR-110 in Los Angeles completed in 1953 wasn't larger.  The only thing that I could think of was total land size (including right-of-way) acquired to construct said interchange.  Seems like a cop-out to me.

I'm surprised that anyone brought up 101-110 in this thread.  It is not a big interchange and, for a stack, it's positively tiny.  Only reaches a half mile along 101 and barely 2000 ft on 110.  And the ramps stay close to the mainlines.

--Andy

[shoptb1]

I'm surprised that anyone brought up 101-110 in this thread.  It is not a big interchange and, for a stack, it's positively tiny.  Only reaches a half mile along 101 and barely 2000 ft on 110.  And the ramps stay close to the mainlines.

--Andy

Yeah, I still think that's larger than the I-70/I-77 interchange, from a roadway standpoint.  But again, I think they're counting ROW into the claim.  I mentioned 101/110 from a historical standpoint, since it was technically the first stack in US.

[Chris]

I'm surprised that anyone brought up 101-110 in this thread.  It is not a big interchange and, for a stack, it's positively tiny.  Only reaches a half mile along 101 and barely 2000 ft on 110.  And the ramps stay close to the mainlines.

Yeah, I believe that one was built that way due to geographical circumstances (101 is higher than 110), not necessarily because they had Texas-style traffic flows in mind.

[TheStranger]

Has anyone mentioned the East Los Angeles Interchange yet, where US 101, Route 60, I-5 and I-10 all join?   (Of course, it would be considered a much larger land area if the San Bernardino Split (US 101 and I-10) interchange a mile north along the Santa Ana Freeway is included in the complex, as well as the north I-5/I-10 merge.)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=E+7th+%26+S+Soto+St,+Los+Angeles,+CA&sll=34.0299,-118.217268&sspn=0.016574,0.035877&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=E+7th+St+%26+S+Soto+St,+Los+Angeles,+California+90023&t=h&z=16

[andytom]

I'm surprised that anyone brought up 101-110 in this thread.  It is not a big interchange and, for a stack, it's positively tiny.  Only reaches a half mile along 101 and barely 2000 ft on 110.  And the ramps stay close to the mainlines.

--Andy

Yeah, I still think that's larger than the I-70/I-77 interchange, from a roadway standpoint.  But again, I think they're counting ROW into the claim.  I mentioned 101/110 from a historical standpoint, since it was technically the first stack in US.

70/77 is almost 4000 ft gore-to-gore along both freeways.  That doesn't even include the splay in the roadways.  Include those and your talking a mile along both freeways.  And the splay needed to cover the left-hand left turn movements makes it take up that much more space.

Being old don't make it big.

--Andy

[SSOWorld]

Why hasn't anyone mentioned the McArthur Maze?

while not part of it - here's the 980/580/CA 24 one

[hm insulators]

The I-8/I-805 near San Diego. I-8 runs east and west along the bottom of a deep canyon, while the 805 crosses over at the canyon rims.

The Loop 202/US 60 interchange east of Mesa, Arizona (almost out to Apache Junction).

[TheStranger]

MacArthur Maze: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=MacArthur+Maze,+Oakland,+CA&sll=38.567863,-121.439904&sspn=0.050063,0.152264&ie=UTF8&hq=MacArthur+Maze,+Oakland,+CA&hnear=MacArthur+Maze&ll=37.827209,-122.292209&spn=0.006322,0.019033&t=h&z=16

I-8/I-805, San Diego: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Camino+Del+Rio+N+%26+Qualcomm+Way,+San+Diego,+CA&sll=32.771615,-117.138762&sspn=0.01346,0.038066&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Camino+Del+Rio+N+%26+Qualcomm+Way,+San+Diego,+California+92108&ll=32.77194,-117.135329&spn=0.00673,0.019033&t=h&z=16

[Revive 755]

The PSB Complex in East St. Louis:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.616921,-90.168647&spn=0.005826,0.013733&t=k&z=17

While it's just a simple trumpet, the northern I-255/IL 3 interchange is a mile long, with the NB exit splitting away at Mile 10, but the SB exit splits at Mile 11:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.528965,-90.195994&spn=0.023333,0.054932&t=k&z=15

The I-80/I-480/Kennedy Freeway interchange in Omaha, NE:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=41.227039,-95.948818&spn=0.011216,0.027466&t=k&z=16

[mightyace]

The PSB Complex in East St. Louis:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.616921,-90.168647&spn=0.005826,0.013733&t=k&z=17

What's the deal with that freeway stub in the SE corner (including the turnaround loop)?

[J N Winkler]

It is possible to have a very small four-level stack if the ground conditions are favorable and maintaining a high design speed on the direct connectors is not a priority.  I believe the Moskowitz signs at the Four Level in Los Angeles advise a 30 MPH maximum safe speed through the DCs.

[UptownRoadGeek]

My personal favorites.
I-110 @ I-105


I-10 @ BW-8


I-635 @ U.S. 75

[Revive 755]

What's the deal with that freeway stub in the SE corner (including the turnaround loop)?

That was supposed to be the start of an expressway (later planned as a freeway) connecting the PSB to IL 15 just west of the IL 163 intersection.  There's still some interest in getting a connector from IL 15 to that ramp but I don't see it happening soon.  As for the u-turn loop, I don't having any knowledge as to when or why exactly it was put in.

IL 3 was also supposed to be a freeway feeding into that interchange, but that one apparently died sometime in the 1980's.

[architect77]

US-70 and US17 Interchange over water in New Bern, NC

[Bickendan]

My personal favorites.
I-110 @ I-105


I-10 @ BW-8


I-635 @ U.S. 75

Imagine what a full 8-level (mainlines AND HOV lanes fully interchanging)/10-level stack would be like from the ground!

[froggie]

Imagine what a full 8-level (mainlines AND HOV lanes fully interchanging)/10-level stack would be like from the ground!

We'll have one soon at I-95/695 outside Baltimore, except it won't be 8/10 levels...

[J N Winkler]

"Soon" is a relative term, Froggie--I've been waiting for more than two years for advertisement of Phase II of that project.  MdTA has advertised just three real road projects in the last six months (one each last July and August, and one four days ago).  Money woes continue . . .