What are the opinions as to some of the widest "medians" on a freeway in the US? Now by "median" I mean just the distance between opposing carriageways, rather than simply limiting to widths of a single constructed roadbed. This means if there is a mountain range between the eastern and western lanes, it qualifies if both sets of lanes are part of the same numbered route. Also, 35E in comparison to 35W (and variations such as that) are out.
I know I've seen more than a few times where the opposing carriageway is well out of visual distance, but I'm sure somebody here have some pretty good guestimates as to the greatest ROW's. Thanks.
MX 2 has a really wide one - about 2.3 miles at one point!
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5688858,-115.9899405,14z
Stretches of the I-17 between Phoenix and Camp Verde have the widest medians that I have seen. The southbound carriageway cannot be seen by those travelling north.
Here's a thread from 2010 (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=3476.0).
Gotta be I-24 near Monteagle, TN where the two bounds go up seperate sides of the plateau. And in between the mountains and Nashville, I-24 has a pretty dang large median in general.
Quote from: vdeane on October 28, 2014, 01:17:39 PM
MX 2 has a really wide one - about 2.3 miles at one point!
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5688858,-115.9899405,14z
Mexican Highway 40 between Saltillo and Torreon splits off like this too and it may be wider. The westbound lanes are the new road and the eastbound lanes followed the old (original) highway.
Quote from: froggie on October 28, 2014, 01:25:25 PM
Here's a thread from 2010 (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=3476.0).
Drat!! I searched a few times before I posted and came up empty. I figured it would have been asked somewhere on here in the past, and you proved me right. Thanks for the link!
I think I-8 west of El Centro is about a mile between each direction as it climbs/descends the peninsular ranges between San Diego and Imperial County.
Both I-8 and MX-2(D) have such wide medians due to their climbing of the same mountain range. Unlike I-8 which maintains speed and standards, the MX-2(D) climb is far steeper and less safe due to hairpin turns as Mexico doesn't (nor should they) follow US Interstate standards. Many a person has driven off the cliffs and died.
There's a pretty wide median where I-5 crosses itself (near Castaic CA), upwards of a third of a mile. But, technically, since the carriageways are crossed here, you could argue that the median is the entire circumference of the earth less that third of a mile. That I think would be a record hard to beat.
On a more conventional note, I-40 through western Arizona has a pretty wide median, in the range of about half a mile. It feels pretty desolate (although beautiful) traveling through it.
Quote from: SSOWorld on November 07, 2014, 10:36:11 AM... the MX-2(D) climb is far steeper and less safe due to hairpin turns as Mexico doesn't (nor should they) follow US Interstate standards....
Quote from: SSOWorld on November 07, 2014, 10:36:11 AMMany a person has driven off the cliffs and died.
While I see your point -- there's no reason foreign countries should be held to US standards, despite what numerous threads in the fantasy section (including, IIRC, the thread that begat Alanland) would have you believe -- the second part indicates to me that there should at least be
some better standards on that road.
In a sensible world, TJ-Mexicali traffic would be better off crossing the border at Tecate and again at a new crossing west of Mexicali (connecting to the bypass). But half the U.S. votes for the Ripoff Party.
Quote from: NE2 on November 07, 2014, 04:59:24 PM
In a sensible world, TJ-Mexicali traffic would be better off crossing the border at Tecate and again at a new crossing west of Mexicali (connecting to the bypass). But half the U.S. votes for the Ripoff Party.
Considering that the one in charge who could change the rules (and yes, they're executive orders) doesn't, that makes 100% voting for the Dumb and Ripoff Parties.
Obama still erroneously thinks the baggers can hate him more than they currently do.
Quote from: NE2 on November 07, 2014, 06:45:16 PM
Obama still erroneously thinks the baggers can hate him more than they currently do.
So is that where you stuff it now, in a bag? Much be a bitch to be detachable.
Colostomy bags are cool. And funny.
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on November 07, 2014, 01:44:12 PM
There's a pretty wide median where I-5 crosses itself (near Castaic CA), upwards of a third of a mile. But, technically, since the carriageways are crossed here, you could argue that the median is the entire circumference of the earth less that third of a mile. That I think would be a record hard to beat.
Consider it beat. By these standards, the distance between carriageways on A-20 between QC 138 and A-15/A-720 is the entire circumference of the Earth minus 130 feet.
Given that all wrong-way sections (unless they're the entire route) have a place where the two directions cross, every such example has a median of the entire circumference of the earth.
I will slap anyone who tries to nitpick about the shape of the earth, or who thinks they're being clever by using latitude rather than a great circle, etc.
I 20 in Dallas has a section about 100 yards apart
Do you count when lanes go through flyover/under ramps?
Quote from: NE2 on November 07, 2014, 04:59:24 PM
In a sensible world, TJ-Mexicali traffic would be better off crossing the border at Tecate and again at a new crossing west of Mexicali (connecting to the bypass). But half the U.S. votes for the Ripoff Party.
Except Mexican insurance isn't valid in the US and you have to go through customs (twice). The only way it would be faster to go through the US is if there was an open border and Mexican insurance was valid in the US. And if I was Mexican and there was an open border I would probably still use MX-2.
This cant be the widest, but this section of I-90 in the eastern Cleveland, OH Metro Area has one big ole median: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6435898,-81.3571382,3a,75y,81.76h,88.07t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s_WQ_fNPXBGrlhk50vF5BOg!2e0
This is probably the widest median I've seen within a large metro area.
Quote from: adventurernumber1 on November 20, 2014, 07:25:44 PM
This is probably the widest median I've seen within a large metro area.
Probably intended for express lanes.
Not counting places where there's private land between the directions, I-4 in Tampa has this beat (also intended for express lanes, rail, or both). And it's in an urban environment, meaning they had to tear down a block of hepcats. Robert Moses would approve.
No one mentioned the I-84 split in Oregon where the carriageways of both E and W are almost two miles apart. Then again, I guess we are talking about standard medians in the normal everyday run.
Anyway, what about medians with previous development inside of it would make an interesting piece to converse about such as I-75 north of Cincinnati with an industrial plant in the median of the interstate. When Ohio built the road they decided to separate the carriageways as they figured to do the least amount of damage to development already there, that is most likely why they decided to to it like that.
Also is not the I-84 split wider than the distance between the two NJ Turnpike Spurs in Northern New Jersey?