What are the worst designed expressways or roads you have been on?
For me:
I-84 Downtown Hartford, CT....too many left exits/entrances and tight curves.
I-93 Central Artery Boston..before the Big Dig. Left exits and tight curves galore.
Haven't been on the Central Artery since the construction ended.
I-278 in New York City. We all know which section.
S.R. 166/Langford Parkway - There are several short freeway entrance ramps and its interchange with I-285 on its western end is "weaving central," if you will.
I-20 @ I-285 (Westside) - To access I-20 West on I-285 North, one must exit left. To access I-20 East on I-285 South, one must exit left as well. The ramp to I-20 West on I-285 South is an exit-only lane from U.S. 78/278, which becomes hectic in afternoon rush hour, with people merging in and out of that lane. Additionally, I-285 South and S.R. 139 is a left exit on I-20 West.
I-75/85 @ I-20 (Grady Curve) - This is a crazy, dangerous interchange. There are several entrances and exits in this one mile curve.
Be well,
Bryant
I-264 EB in Norfolk on the Berkley Bridge where traffic coming from the Downtown Tunnel has to merge to the right in about 1/3 mile to stay on I-264 instead of exiting into Downtown Norfolk and traffic coming from I-464 having to merge to the left to enter Downtown Norflk makes that a weaving disaster during rush hour. Add to that the Berkley Bridge is also a drawbridge.
In the Philadelphia, the I-76 Schuykill Expressway. Of course, there is not much you can do about it, but it is only 2 lanes (on a highway which should be 4 lanes), narrow, against a cliff overlooking the Schuykill River, and sharp curves, including the infamous Conshohocken curve.
I'd have to say the worst I've seen is the brief I-65/I-70 concurrency in downtown Indianapolis. North/Eastbound, I-65 merges in from the right and I-70 from the left. They split 1/2 mile later, with I-65 exiting on the left and I-70 on the right. Through traffic on both roads must weave over to the other side in a very short space.
I also get annoyed with the I-5/I-805 merge north of San Diego. Northbound, they merge together, and then all 6 lanes that had carried I-5 traffic promptly end. You can't continue on I-5 without changing across multiple lanes.
Quote from: realjd on January 24, 2010, 12:17:31 PM
I also get annoyed with the I-5/I-805 merge north of San Diego. Northbound, they merge together, and then all 6 lanes that had carried I-5 traffic promptly end. You can't continue on I-5 without changing across multiple lanes.
southbound, you also have to merge hard right (four lanes, I think?) to stay on 5. The new collector/distributor lanes that allow you to access the 56 freeway make staying on the 5 a bit easier, in that you only have to merge over one lane to the left after merging one lane to the right to get on the c/d road. But nonetheless, there is no single lane that allows you to, without merging, stay on 5 SB throughout the entire intersection.
Any of the 'first generation' Oklahoma turnpikes with the raised grassy median (later Jersey barrier) and I-44 (Skelly Drive) in Tulsa. All terrible roads.
I-5 between the two I-405 junctions in Portland. I-84 in Portland for lack of exits westbound.
I-70 in Pennsylvania from the Turnpike west to I-79. Also the Breezewood interchange.
Yungas Road in Bolivia. Nicknamed the most dangerous road in the world.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frob.wemakewebsites.co.nz%2Fincludes%2Fuploads%2Fimage16.jpg&hash=28fa7cac7e011d2a0ee8b89e2eed3c0c8d508b02)
300 people were killed on this road every year.
Quote
The road was built in the 1930s during the Chaco War by Paraguayan prisoners. It is one of the few routes that connects the Amazon rainforest region of northern Bolivia, or Yungas, to its capital city. Upon leaving La Paz, the road first ascends to around 4,650 metres (15,300 ft) at La Cumbre Pass, before descending to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) at the town of Coroico, transiting quickly from cool Altiplano terrain to rainforest as it winds through very steep hillsides and atop cliffs.
Quote from: Chris on January 24, 2010, 03:07:26 PM
Yungas Road in Bolivia. Nicknamed the most dangerous road in the world.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frob.wemakewebsites.co.nz%2Fincludes%2Fuploads%2Fimage16.jpg&hash=28fa7cac7e011d2a0ee8b89e2eed3c0c8d508b02)
Looks like fun...especially during a rainstorm! :wow:
US-151 east of Cedar Rapids. 4 Way stops along a divided highway? :ded:
Also, Washington SR 16 pre-2009 coming from I-5 north to 16 west. The distance the merge lanes had to get on the mainline before it split off as an exit only lane was preposterously short
Before they were reworked:
I-76 and Ohio 8 in Akron, OH
Very short exit ramps and "suicide"entrance ramps. Many partial exits. No direct exits on Route 8 to Market St. (main drag) in Akron.
Most of this has been corrected in the last 15 years, though there are still no direct exits to Market St. but you can get there now on frontage roads.
Malfunction Junction in Nashville, TN. (I-24, I-40, I-65)
I-65 North to I-40 East (old I-65 north) - two lanes but one is exit only to 2nd-4th ave and traffic on I-40 East must weave two lanes over to get off here.
I-40 East to I-24 West (old I-65 north) - in old alignment both I-65 and I-40 traffic had to weave across each other in less than 1/2 mile - still an issue even without official I-65 designation.
Ramp from 2-4th Ave. to I-24/40 East - "No entrance to I-24 West (old 65 north)" - there is a jersey barrier to attempt to restrict movements to I-24 West but it doesn't go far enough and the movements are more desperate.
The setup from I-24 East to I-40 West (old I-65) south, 2-4th avenue and ramps to I-65 south are identically messed up in this direction as well.
Moving I-65 to the west side of the downtown loop has reduced it some, but many locals, including myself, still use the old I-65 routing. Plus, LP Field where the Tennessee Titans play is on I-24 West (compass north of Malfunction Junction).
For me:
ON 400 the section between Vaughan and Barrie because of it's lack of left shoulders, bow beam median barrier that does nothing to stop trucks from going through it. There is also a RIRO interchange and lots of narrow overpasses.
QEW the St Catharines section before the currently ongoing reconstruction, the ramps and acceleration lanes are so short that the MTO puts signs advising drivers in the right lane to leave gaps for merging traffic also the roadway is really narrow in that section.
The original Toronto built section of the Gardiner Expressway, it has really short ramps and de/acceleration lanes at some interchanges. At one interchage the on ramps are even closed to traffic during rush hour the one leading into the city in the morning and the one leaving the city in the afternoon, and also it's lack of full width shoulders on the elevated section.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on January 24, 2010, 12:24:45 PM
southbound, you also have to merge hard right (four lanes, I think?) to stay on 5. The new collector/distributor lanes that allow you to access the 56 freeway make staying on the 5 a bit easier, in that you only have to merge over one lane to the left after merging one lane to the right to get on the c/d road. But nonetheless, there is no single lane that allows you to, without merging, stay on 5 SB throughout the entire intersection.
I would agree about the c/d roads, except they're marked "Local Bypass". The signs give no indication that they can be used as thru lanes. There's not even one of those "Through Traffic OK" signs like they have up in Orange County. They do make a good shortcut though, especially if traffic is heavy!
Easily has to be California 110 in LA.
Quote from: corco on January 24, 2010, 03:22:19 PM
US-151 east of Cedar Rapids. 4 Way stops along a divided highway? :ded:
There's another one of those irritating set ups on US 30 at Boone, IA:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=42.034544,-93.87989&spn=0,359.986267&t=k&z=17&layer=c&cbll=42.034543,-93.88001&panoid=Xn1AT8nZ4vqZb_MzG8ctGw&cbp=12,63.2,,0,11.26 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=42.034544,-93.87989&spn=0,359.986267&t=k&z=17&layer=c&cbll=42.034543,-93.88001&panoid=Xn1AT8nZ4vqZb_MzG8ctGw&cbp=12,63.2,,0,11.26)
While I wouldn't call this worst designed expressway, the Iowa DOT really should have at least had an easement to reserve space for an interchange or used a median u-turn.
US 82 from Alabama to I-55 in Mississippi. This road is an expressway or freeway the entire length, EXCEPT a four-way stop at an intersection. Horrible placement, limited warning. Really needs to remove it or put in an interchange. No reason a 65mph road should have a four-way stop (sans Texas).
Sykotyk
QuoteWhile I wouldn't call this worst designed expressway, the Iowa DOT really should have at least had an easement to reserve space for an interchange or used a median u-turn.
Or.. :-o a stoplight!
Quote from: Chris on January 24, 2010, 03:07:26 PM
Yungas Road in Bolivia. Nicknamed the most dangerous road in the world.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frob.wemakewebsites.co.nz%2Fincludes%2Fuploads%2Fimage16.jpg&hash=28fa7cac7e011d2a0ee8b89e2eed3c0c8d508b02)
300 people were killed on this road every year.
Quote
The road was built in the 1930s during the Chaco War by Paraguayan prisoners. It is one of the few routes that connects the Amazon rainforest region of northern Bolivia, or Yungas, to its capital city. Upon leaving La Paz, the road first ascends to around 4,650 metres (15,300 ft) at La Cumbre Pass, before descending to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) at the town of Coroico, transiting quickly from cool Altiplano terrain to rainforest as it winds through very steep hillsides and atop cliffs.
I'm putting that on my 'To Clinch' list. Gotta wait for the PanAm Highway to get through the Darrian Gap first...
M-39 The Southfield Freeway
Quote from: Sykotyk on January 24, 2010, 07:05:57 PM
US 82 from Alabama to I-55 in Mississippi. This road is an expressway or freeway the entire length, EXCEPT a four-way stop at an intersection. Horrible placement, limited warning. Really needs to remove it or put in an interchange. No reason a 65mph road should have a four-way stop (sans Texas).
Sykotyk
If you're talking about U.S. 82 at S.R. 15 in Mathiston, I agree. That all-way stop is crazy on a wide four-lane like that.
---
Additionally, I-75 North/85 North at the Brookwood Interchange is always an adventure. Three lanes split right for 75 North, while three lanes fork left for 85 North. 85 North then flies over 75, while 75 goes underneath 85.
Be well,
Bryant
I-240 between I-35 and I-44. Onramps add a new lane, which persists for about 50 feet or so and then becomes the exit-only lane for the next exit. World Capital of weaving.
To be fair, US 82/MS 15 in Mathison is a 4-way stop (as are the US 45/MS 14 and US 45/MS 16 intersections), because the intersections have long been 4-way stops dating to before the US routes were four-laned. And for whatever reason, MDOT decided to maintain the status quo when it came to traffic control at those intersections when the US routes were widened. And they don't really have the traffic to warrant signals, let alone an interchange.
As for Mathison...as I recall you have to slow down to 35 MPH to go through town anyway.
I-70 / I-71 in downtown Columbus is probably the biggest clusterf$#@ in Ohio, which is actually saying a lot. I-71N goes down to one lane, and to remain on I-71, drivers must cross over two lanes of I-70 in less than a 3/4 mile, which is increasingly difficult with the amount of traffic on this road. Drivers on I-71S must also cross over 2 lanes of I-70 in order to remain on I-71. ODOT has a project that's already 10 years old to fix this, and not an inch of dirt has been moved yet. A solution would likely involve fly-over ramps (which ODOT seems to hate), and the location of the Scioto River also adds to the difficulty...but come on...IIRC this is the most dangerous stretch of road in Ohio...needs to be fixed!
Business 80 between E Street and Exposition Boulevard in Sacramento, where 10 lanes of traffic cut down to 6 in the span of a few ramps going eastbound...
A few of the ancient ramps at the 101/80 junction in SF desperately need probably 500 more feet of merge room, similar to the ramps at the Business 80/US 50/Route 99 junction in Sactown.
The old left exits on the Bay Bridge - dating back to when the route was US 40/50 - force slowdowns from 50 MPH to 10 MPH in no time, I know at least one of the eastbound exits has been closed as a result.
Quote from: shoptb1 on January 24, 2010, 09:45:01 PM
I-70 / I-71 in downtown Columbus is probably the biggest clusterf$#@ in Ohio, which is actually saying a lot.
Has ODOT ever placed helpful signage to recommend using SR-315/I-670 as a more safe & sane bypass around the I-70/I-71 multiplex??? I-670 has been completed for a few years now, you'd think the brains @ ODOT would try to divert some of that I-71 thru traffic that way.
It worked in the 60's on the old Goodale stretch when the I-71/I-70 segment wasn't completed yet.
Quote from: thenetwork on January 24, 2010, 10:51:42 PM
Has ODOT ever placed helpful signage to recommend using SR-315/I-670 as a more safe & sane bypass around the I-70/I-71 multiplex??? I-670 has been completed for a few years now, you'd think the brains @ ODOT would try to divert some of that I-71 thru traffic that way.
Of course not! That would be a good idea, so therefore, it is strictly avoided. SR-315N to I-670E to I-71N, OR SR-315N to I-270E to I-71N...either of these routes would be a good traffic reliever for 'The Split'. The other thing that strikes me as strange is that ODOT doesn't utilize SR-104 as a traffic reliever at all. This route is very under-utilized and motorists would have no way of knowing that it's even an expressway. I think that the SR-104 sign on northbound I-71 should also be affixed with an "Alternate To I-70 East" sign. Of course, the motorists could have used I-270 a few miles back as well.
Cross Bronx Expressway...3 lanes each will built into a trench on its west side, and a viaduct toward the east.
I-20 inside I-459 in Birmingham. From I-459 on the west end of town to Exit 118 there is a very narrow median. From Exit 118 to the I-20/59 split lots of weaving traffic due to lanes ending or exiting and lanes entering. The I-20/59 split has a very sharp curve (deadman's curve) westbound on I-20 and eastbound is not much better. East of I-59 in some spots there is a very narrow median and heavy traffic.
I'd rank I-20/59 downtown as worse than that stretch of I-20.
My first would be, I-290 (Eisenhower Expy) between US-12/20/45 (Mannheim Rd) and Central Ave. Too many ramp through The Avenues, the left hand ramps at Harlem and Austin, followed up by a design that leaves very little shoulder as it traverses a cemetary.
My runnerup is, I-90/94 (Kennedy Expy) between the Circle Interchange (I-290) and the Ontario/Ohio Feeder Ramp. WTF thought left side entrys every block was a good idea!?!
Quote from: agentsteel53 on January 24, 2010, 11:23:19 AM
I-278 in New York City. We all know which section.
Surely you don't mean the BQE, which makes the flight inside the Death Star in Return of the Jedi look tame by comparison??
Is I-76 between I-276 and I-95 still nicknamed the "Sure-Kill Expressway?"
For recently built or rebuilt roads, I would say the merge from the reversible express lanes on the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) to the 'outbound' Edens Expressway (I-94) in Chicago. VERY short and dicey, especially in free-flowing traffic.
:wow:
Mike
Quote from: OracleUsr on January 25, 2010, 12:29:44 PM
Surely you don't mean the BQE, which makes the flight inside the Death Star in Return of the Jedi look tame by comparison??
I wish it were the death star... Luke Skywalker was flying along at speeds unimaginable on the BQE!
I-77 North to I-40 West, a junction less than 2 miles from my house in Statesville, is a hell of a way to get on I-40. The narrow bridge makes for a harrowing merge with I-40 as cars move over to take I-77 South to Charlotte.
Then there's the brilliant idea of NC 150 in Spencer. To stay on NC 150 West, you have to merge onto I-85 South, then swing over to the left lane to get on US 29/70.
Or the twin-lefts on I-40W to I-26E or I-40E to I-26W/I-240E. Yep, you have to make a steep left-handed turn, then merge quickly.
And the recommended route from I-40E to Bus I-85S (used to be mainline I-85S) is even worse. You have to slow way down to take the exit and then you have a short merge lane around a sharp curve. Taking US 220 South to I-85 Bus is a lot better.
AND at the same place, Randleman Road Southbound on to Business I-85 Southbound has almost no accel lane. I hope the new ramps will be easier to handle.
To go along with what was said about Columbus. Whenever going I-71 north, I just take OH-315 N to I-270 E to I-71 N. And the opposite going south. So much easier than fighting the traffic along the I-70/I-71 clusterf*ck.
Quote from: Sykotyk on January 25, 2010, 04:00:32 PM
To go along with what was said about Columbus. Whenever going I-71 north, I just take OH-315 N to I-270 E to I-71 N. And the opposite going south.
I often do that, but it's more to stop at MicroCenter at the Bethel Rd. exit of 315 and any other reason. :sombrero:
I have a love-hate relationship with US-52 through Winston-Salem, NC. South of the city, it's pretty cool with original pink concrete shoulders and curbs galore. I know curbs and such are a big no-no on highways nowadays, but being such a heavily built road they put a lot of thought into it. When you lay curbs and drains and such, you actually have to think more carefully about how things intersect and the geometries involved with the pavement layout. It gives the road a very tidy feel that tends to be lacking in most places. There's a little bit of that north of the city too, but much of it has been reworked.
Right around downtown though it's horrible. Not only do a few miles of permanently installed temporary jersey barriers make it look totally bootlegged, it has a series of extremely closely spaced interchanges and dangerously tight ramps. The cloverleaf interchange with business 40 (decommissioned I-40 as I understand) is so tight that at least one of the ramps is signed for 15 mph. There's barely 200' of space between the ramps, so it's a huge weaving/merging problem.
I-40 Business is, indeed, the old I-40 expressway through downtown, and, to my knowledge, has always been 45mph. Another PITA In that area is Peters Creek Parkway (NC 150) coming off of I-40 Business East. THAT is a short exit for you, but, as jjakucyk said, the US 52 interchange with Business 40 takes the cake.
Quote from: OracleUsr on January 25, 2010, 12:29:44 PM
Is I-76 between I-276 and I-95 still nicknamed the "Sure-Kill Expressway?"
First time I have heard that name, and I am a native. Though, it is a clever name to call it.
Quote from: PennDOTFan on January 25, 2010, 07:31:20 PM
Quote from: OracleUsr on January 25, 2010, 12:29:44 PM
Is I-76 between I-276 and I-95 still nicknamed the "Sure-Kill Expressway?"
First time I have heard that name, and I am a native. Though, it is a clever name to call it.
I can't remember when I first heard it. I'm pretty sure it was from my dad and he's been around longer than the expressway.
The PA Turnpike.
The I-70 - I-79 interchange east of Washington, PA.
Quote from: Master son on January 25, 2010, 09:13:17 PM
The PA Turnpike.
IMHO
Saying Poorly-designed is a bit harsh considering there weren't many examples to go by when it was built. However, it does fit this category considering that they have been slow to bring the highway up to modern standards. The Northeast Extension especially fits this as the only real change on much of it in the last 40 years it the replacement of the guardrail median with a jersey barrier median.
Quote from: Sykotyk on January 25, 2010, 04:00:32 PM
To go along with what was said about Columbus. Whenever going I-71 north, I just take OH-315 N to I-270 E to I-71 N. And the opposite going south. So much easier than fighting the traffic along the I-70/I-71 clusterf*ck.
I did the thru I-71 route once, when I was in the process of clinching I-71. Never again. Now I use, and recommend, OH 315 to I-670 back to I-71 north.
Quote from: mightyace on January 25, 2010, 04:38:47 PM
Quote from: Sykotyk on January 25, 2010, 04:00:32 PM
To go along with what was said about Columbus. Whenever going I-71 north, I just take OH-315 N to I-270 E to I-71 N. And the opposite going south.
I often do that, but it's more to stop at MicroCenter at the Bethel Rd. exit of 315 and any other reason. :sombrero:
I'm familiar with the one on Mosteller Road off I-275 in Cincy. I guess it's still there.
Quote from: dave19 on January 25, 2010, 09:40:45 PM
The I-70 - I-79 interchange east of Washington, PA.
Why? That's just a standard trumpet interchange. Pretty common in Kentucky.
Quote from: hbelkins on January 25, 2010, 10:29:47 PM
Quote from: dave19 on January 25, 2010, 09:40:45 PM
The I-70 - I-79 interchange east of Washington, PA.
Why? That's just a standard trumpet interchange. Pretty common in Kentucky.
It's pretty tight when you're coming I-79 N from Morgantown and merging onto I-70W/I-79N. The worst part is that I-70/I-79 are multiplexed with only 4-lanes through the east half of Washington, PA. It's ALWAYS a cluster-f$%$ through there....I'm really amazed that PennDOT hasn't widened that section.
I'll nominated I-70 in the St. Louis area since I've been beaten to the lousy PA section. Starting at the I-170 interchange, which really needs a few diagrammatic signs indicating that half of the ramps are on the left side:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.729949,-90.329311&spn=0.011701,0.027466&t=k&z=16 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.729949,-90.329311&spn=0.011701,0.027466&t=k&z=16)
Then there's the interchange with Lucas and Hunt, featuring two loops that resemble those recently removed from I-64. Thing is MoDOT already redid this section of I-70, so why are these still here?
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl)
Then at MO 367 there's no entrance for SB MO 367 traffic to EB I-70, yet for some reason there's a ramp to the outer road. Before I-70 was mostly reconstructed there was an EB entrance here.
A short distance east the reversible express lanes start, with no exits until downtown, yet posted at 55, the same as the other lanes. Commonly closed, the main reason MoDOT gave for not removing them was that I-70 would require five lanes each way. Note that I-70 is mostly three lanes each way west of here.
Another pair of short ramps EB:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.682604,-90.235267&spn=0.002927,0.006866&t=k&z=18 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.682604,-90.235267&spn=0.002927,0.006866&t=k&z=18)
Poorly designed, 20 mph WB exit to Broadway that would have been better if it had been shifted to the west to intersect the overpass:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.683694,-90.217474&spn=0.001464,0.003433&t=k&z=19 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.683694,-90.217474&spn=0.001464,0.003433&t=k&z=19)
The Salisbury/McKinely Bridge interchange. Supposedly because of this poorly designed, poor capacity interchange the McKinely bridge approaches were rebuilt only one lane each way.
The next three interchanges don't allow easy u-turns. While moderately annoying now if the I-55 ramp to the PSB is backed up and Memorial Drive is closed, these will be more of an issue when the new river bridge for I-70 is built, as a proper half diamond would allow a simple u-turn to access the new bridge.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.654453,-90.193462&spn=0.002928,0.006866&t=k&z=18 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.654453,-90.193462&spn=0.002928,0.006866&t=k&z=18)
[url]http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.644621,-90.188801&spn=0.002929,0.006866&t=k&z=18]http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.649774,-90.191064&spn=0.002928,0.006866&t=k&z=18/url]
[url]http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.644621,-90.188801&spn=0.002929,0.006866&t=k&z=18 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.649774,-90.191064&spn=0.002928,0.006866&t=k&z=18/url)
Like I-55, I-70 has single lane ramps to/from the PSB. Unlike I-55, I-70 has easy access to the MLK Bridge, which is a freeway grade alternative WB and has only one stoplight EB. Note the lousy merge for mainline WB I-70, and the merge for Memorial Drive traffic entering the PSB:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.621881,-90.187983&spn=0.001465,0.003433&t=k&z=19 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.621881,-90.187983&spn=0.001465,0.003433&t=k&z=19)
Then there's the PSB. With no shoulders, there could have at least been an extra lane each way between the I-70 ramps and the IL 3 interchange.
One of many short merges inside the PSB complex. This one was supposed to bring in traffic from the canceled US 460 freeway:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.616407,-90.170749&spn=0.001465,0.003433&t=k&z=19 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.616407,-90.170749&spn=0.001465,0.003433&t=k&z=19)
A short, tight, left side merge from IL 3. This is planned for removal when I-70 is relocated as part of the new river bridge project.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.632863,-90.146819&spn=0.002929,0.006866&t=k&z=18 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=38.632863,-90.146819&spn=0.002929,0.006866&t=k&z=18)
Finally there's the poor EB design between I-255 and IL 157. Either the third lane needs to continue a little ways beyond IL 157, giving I-255 traffic a better merge, or one lane should be dropped at I-255.
I'll also nominate PA 28 between I-279 and the Ripoff. The access to the 31st Street island provides one extremely screwed up intersection that is controlled by a single stoplight setup IIRC:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.464609,-79.97968&spn=0.001426,0.003433&t=k&z=19 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.464609,-79.97968&spn=0.001426,0.003433&t=k&z=19)
Then there's those annoying one lane mainline sections EB.
Cloverleafs in the Twin cities - no deceleration/acceleration lanes whatsoever.
I wouldn't say there's none whatsoever. But mainly for the deceleration, you're basically limited to the distance between loops. Acceleration is a little better, as MnDOT has built "escape lanes" at most places, extending the acceleration lane out a hundred feet or so past the second loop.
Though I think there are worse, even here in Western PA, right now I'm gonna name the good ol' Penn-Lincoln Parkway...
I'm sure many/most here know of it's substandard design in general, and the traffic issues the tunnels cause, and some of it's crazier interchange setups....
But today, specifically, I'm gonna mention it because of the "bathtub" portion of I-376 Westbound that occasionally will flood....
LIKE TODAY.
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10026/1031161-147.stm (http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10026/1031161-147.stm)
With the Mon not predicted to crest until later this afternoon, there's a good chance it will still be closed for the evening rush hour. So due to the fact they designed a road that low next to a river, my commute home back into the city will, most likely, royally suck balls.
I-10 @ I-110, Baton Rouge, LA (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=30.439091,-91.17808&spn=0.00568,0.015407&t=h&z=17)
^I-10 East (Which carries probably 85% of the traffic) narrows down to 1 lane while 2 lanes go north to I-110; I-10 West drops to 2 narrow lanes with a tight curve, while 3 lanes head north for I-110.
The entire Baton Rouge highway system is poorly designed IMO. The main highway through the city is only 6-lanes, but it acts as a funnel for traffic from I-10/I-12 to the east and I-10/I-110 from the west. The major interchange in the city has a major flaw ^. I-10 through the areas seeing the most development (I believe) is only 4-lanes. Add a LSU game and a mandatory evacuation for New Orleans on the same weekend and things get "fun".
I think that whole upper/lower I-35 mess in Austin, TX is pretty terrible.
IL 394 around the IL 1 intersection:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=41.391846,-87.626792&spn=0,359.986267&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.391932,-87.626785&panoid=Ft6ReWiIfKluOLCBesxT7Q&cbp=12,161.57,,0,-6.18 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=41.391846,-87.626792&spn=0,359.986267&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.391932,-87.626785&panoid=Ft6ReWiIfKluOLCBesxT7Q&cbp=12,161.57,,0,-6.18)
IL 394 should have been routed differently, or IL 1 should have been rerouted to a different intersection.
Quote from: Revive 755 on February 08, 2010, 03:47:46 PM
IL 394 around the IL 1 intersection:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=41.391846,-87.626792&spn=0,359.986267&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.391932,-87.626785&panoid=Ft6ReWiIfKluOLCBesxT7Q&cbp=12,161.57,,0,-6.18 (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=41.391846,-87.626792&spn=0,359.986267&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.391932,-87.626785&panoid=Ft6ReWiIfKluOLCBesxT7Q&cbp=12,161.57,,0,-6.18)
IL 394 should have been routed differently, or IL 1 should have been rerouted to a different intersection.
IL 1 used to continue north up today's 394...though the intersection wasn't reconfigured when 1 was restored to Dixie Highway north of there. I'm surprised it's not an interchange...
Quote from: hbelkins on January 25, 2010, 10:29:47 PM
Quote from: dave19 on January 25, 2010, 09:40:45 PM
The I-70 - I-79 interchange east of Washington, PA.
Why? That's just a standard trumpet interchange. Pretty common in Kentucky.
I'm talking about approaching it as you are travelling north on 79 coming from WV. After a long downhill grade, all traffic heading north on 79 or west on 70 must narrow to one lane, go under the bridge, and loop to the right on a sharp curve. You should see the size of the Jersey barrier there.
Quote from: dave19 on February 09, 2010, 08:39:07 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on January 25, 2010, 10:29:47 PM
Quote from: dave19 on January 25, 2010, 09:40:45 PM
The I-70 - I-79 interchange east of Washington, PA.
Why? That's just a standard trumpet interchange. Pretty common in Kentucky.
I'm talking about approaching it as you are travelling north on 79 coming from WV. After a long downhill grade, all traffic heading north on 79 or west on 70 must narrow to one lane, go under the bridge, and loop to the right on a sharp curve. You should see the size of the Jersey barrier there.
I'll second this one.
Quote from: dave19 on January 25, 2010, 09:40:45 PM
The I-70 - I-79 interchange east of Washington, PA.
Yeah, and that Jersey Barrier is pretty scarred up from people that dont heed the warnings and find out how immoveable the jb is!
Agreed it is a very poorlly designed junction for 2 interstate hwys junctioning. How about that crappy one lane uphill exit from I 275 to I 74 west, northwest of Cinti O?
But it is a poor example
Why? That's just a standard trumpet interchange. Pretty common in Kentucky.
Quote from: allniter89 on February 09, 2010, 11:23:37 PM
Quote from: rickmastfan67 on February 09, 2010, 09:06:37 PM
Quote from: dave19 on February 09, 2010, 08:39:07 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on January 25, 2010, 10:29:47 PM
Quote from: dave19 on January 25, 2010, 09:40:45 PM
The I-70 - I-79 interchange east of Washington, PA.
Why? That's just a standard trumpet interchange. Pretty common in Kentucky.
I'm talking about approaching it as you are travelling north on 79 coming from WV. After a long downhill grade, all traffic heading north on 79 or west on 70 must narrow to one lane, go under the bridge, and loop to the right on a sharp curve. You should see the size of the Jersey barrier there.
I'll second this one.
Yeah, and that Jersey Barrier is pretty scarred up from people that dont heed the warnings and find out how immoveable the jb is!
Agreed it is a very poorlly designed junction for 2 interstate hwys junctioning. How about that crappy one lane uphill exit from I 275 to I 74 west, northwest of Cinti O?
But it is a poor example
Fixed your post here in my post. Please next time make sure you find the last
[/quote] in the message area when quoting a message. Because if you don't, it's hard to tell what you wrote in your post if there are several quotes already unless you compare it with a previous post.
Thanks. :)
thanks
I-71/75 between Kyles Lane (or Buttermilk Pike) and the Brent Spence Bridge, especially before they rebuilt that section.
Any of the Oklahoma City freeways. A tangled mess of insufficient capacity, left exits, one-lane TOTSOs, and more weaving than you could ever want.
Quote from: TXtoNJ on April 22, 2010, 01:21:49 PM
Any of the Oklahoma City freeways. A tangled mess of insufficient capacity, left exits, one-lane TOTSOs, and more weaving than you could ever want.
Now that's not completely fair. Most of the freeways have sufficient capacity (traffic jams only occur because of crashes). One-lane TOTSOs are bad, sure, but in practice they don't seem to really affect the flow of traffic. There are a few left exits, but they're hardly as pervasive as they are in Tulsa. Weaving is a problem on I-240 but I can't really think of any other freeway that is serious plagued by it.
Quote from: TXtoNJ on April 22, 2010, 01:21:49 PM
...one-lane TOTSOs...
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 22, 2010, 08:54:58 PM
One-lane TOTSOs are bad, sure, but in practice they don't seem to really affect the flow of traffic.
What is a "TOTSO" :confused: I'm not familiar with that acronym.
Turn off to stay on. When a highway "exits itself".
U.S. 1 northbound in the Morrisville, PA, area. Two lanes run northbound up to the U.S. 13 interchange, then both lanes exit left to Route 32 going into Morrisville, with the right lane also continuing on U.S. 1. A second lane is picked up on the right as an added lane from U.S. 13 north. A short three-lane right-to-left weave is created, but only one through lane passes through the interchange. Now that the Trenton-Morrisville Bridge has been rebuilt, the rush hour congestion issues are clear here.
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 23, 2010, 12:50:34 AM
Turn off to stay on. When a highway "exits itself".
Ah, I see. Familiar with that concept...just never seen it shortened before. Yeah, these are bad situations.
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 23, 2010, 12:50:34 AM
Turn off to stay on. When a highway "exits itself".
The perfect example of this is when I-71N/I-70E exits to one lane while 2 lanes continue forward as OH-315 in Columbus.
Quote from: shoptb1 on April 24, 2010, 10:20:00 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 23, 2010, 12:50:34 AM
Turn off to stay on. When a highway "exits itself".
The perfect example of this is when I-71N/I-70E exits to one lane while 2 lanes continue forward as OH-315 in Columbus.
Or Interstate 78 in Summit at Exit 48, when it exits itself at NJ 24.
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 23, 2010, 12:50:34 AM
Turn off to stay on. When a highway "exits itself".
WB I-84 does this at I-205 in Portland, supposedly because ODOT planned to have (then) I-80N take I-205 south to the never-built Mt Hood Freeway.
Quote from: njroadhorse on April 24, 2010, 01:23:40 PM
Quote from: shoptb1 on April 24, 2010, 10:20:00 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 23, 2010, 12:50:34 AM
Turn off to stay on. When a highway "exits itself".
The perfect example of this is when I-71N/I-70E exits to one lane while 2 lanes continue forward as OH-315 in Columbus.
Or Interstate 78 in Summit at Exit 48, when it exits itself at NJ 24.
Eastbound Interstate 80 in West Sacramento exits itself with two lanes (while 4 lanes continue east to Business 80/US 50), and Business 80 in Sacramento exits itself with two lanes IIRC at US 50 and Route 99.
One could also argue that Interstate 80 exits itself westbound at the MacArthur Maze (while the through lanes on the left continue to either I-880 or I-580).
A-40/Metropolitan Blvd in Montreal from Decarie autoroute to Anjou interchange, the elevated section is poorly designed.
the most blatant "turn off to stay on" I can think of is I-95 northbound, south of Boston at route 128. 95 exits on a cloverleaf and ... nothing continues.
210 westbound at 134 and anti-710 in Pasadena is pretty bad. Most people know that 710 was never built, and therefore it is a sensible assumption that at the junction, 210 are the only roads to consider. However, not only do the leftmost three lanes become 134, but then two more lanes to the right of that are perplexingly signed "to 110", and only then - five lanes over - is 210, as a single lane exiting itself.
at least there are no signs with Long Beach as a destination...
one more: the Laval Road exit off I-5 in the central valley just north of the grapevine gets an award for "what the Hell is that!??!" design principles.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Laval+Rd,+Arvin,+Kern,+California&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=45.957536,68.378906&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FW_zFQIdIgHq-A&split=0&hq=&hnear=Laval+Rd,+Arvin,+Kern,+California&ll=34.986339,-118.945434&spn=0.011673,0.016694&z=16
note how there are two segments of Laval Road, which do not even pretend to meet, and instead are connected by the one overpass - Wheeler Ridge Road. It would've been so much simpler to have Laval Road connect as an overpass, with a simple diamond interchange, and Wheeler Ridge Road branch off the eastern half of Laval Road at a traffic light.
but no, they instead invented ... that. Whatever the Hell that is. I think it's called "Picasso's Two-Assed Trumpet".
also, I do not believe that, southbound, Wheeler Ridge Road is noted at all, while northbound it is noted only as an auxiliary sign ("Wheeler Ridge Road, next right") - despite the fact that three of the four freeway off-ramps lead directly to Wheeler Ridge Road, as opposed to one of the several Laval Road instances, which is what is signed.
While on the subject of I-5... East LA Interchange. And that counts for I-10, too, at the northern interchange.
Nobody has yet mentioned the northern half of the WV Turnpike. A monsterous mis-design of a road.
The original 2 lane part was built, and designed to no particular standard, in the early 1950s. Politics dictated a straight line between Princeton, Beckley and Charleston, even though logic would have taken the road east or west about 20 miles into terrain that is more appropriate. Then the years too late upgrade to four lanes, finished in 1987. Rather than shutting the road down for a year or so, they maintained traffic and thus had to do "light earth moving" to build a parallel set of lanes. Thus preserving the twisty dangerousness.
The result? A 40 mile section of 60 MPH SL, with Jersey barriers rather than a proper median, twisting and snakeing around mountains that in the rest of Appalachia would have just been blasted away. Among the most dangerous rural interstates in the country, rotunely closed for hours by small accidents because there is no runoff area. A death road.
I'd like to throw in the Central Scranton and North Scranton Expressways into this discussion, because they are both serious WTF candidates. Not only do neither of them provide a straight freeway connection across the city, but they don't even meet each other, and create a snarl in downtown Scranton trying to get from one to the other. Of course it goes without saying that both of them are horribly substandard per PA tradition.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on April 25, 2010, 02:45:35 AM
the most blatant "turn off to stay on" I can think of is I-95 northbound, south of Boston at route 128. 95 exits on a cloverleaf and ... nothing continues.
210 westbound at 134 and anti-710 in Pasadena is pretty bad. Most people know that 710 was never built, and therefore it is a sensible assumption that at the junction, 210 are the only roads to consider. However, not only do the leftmost three lanes become 134, but then two more lanes to the right of that are perplexingly signed "to 110", and only then - five lanes over - is 210, as a single lane exiting itself.
at least there are no signs with Long Beach as a destination...
The eastbound 210 at the 134/710 junction does the same thing. I think the interchange was designed that way because they were expected more of the traffic to use the 710 to Long Beach. Of course, that segment through South Pasadena was never built, thanks to the NIMBYs in that community! :pan: :banghead: :angry:
Cleveland is somewhat notorious for TOTSO interchanges:
1) Eastbound I-90 @ I-490/I-71 -- I-90 (2-lanes) exits via a stack over I-490 (3-lanes).
2) Westbound I-90/SR-2 @ Dead Mans Curve -- I-90 (2 lanes) exits via DMC while SR-2 continues west (2 lanes).
3) Westbound I-90 @ I-271 Local & Express) -- I-90 (2 lanes) exits to the right while both the I-271 Local & Express Lanes continue continue straight (4 lanes total).
4) Southbound I-71 @ I-480 West/SR 237 South -- I-71 (2 lanes) exits to the right via a flyover while the ramp to both I-480 West and SR-237 South continue straight (3 lanes total).
As is Akron:
1) Central Interchange (I-77 North to I-76 West multiplex and the I-76 East/I-77 South Multiplex to I-77 South)
2) I-76 West/I-77 North Split and the I-76 East to I-77 South Multiplex
3) I-76 West to US-224 West Multiplex and the I-76/US-224 East Split.
2) & 3) comprise both the northern and southern termini of the "Kenmore Leg"/Kenmore Expressway respectively.
Quote from: thenetwork on April 25, 2010, 08:21:24 PM
Cleveland is somewhat notorious for TOTSO interchanges:
1) Eastbound I-90 @ I-490/I-71 -- I-90 (2-lanes) exits via a stack over I-490 (3-lanes).
2) Westbound I-90/SR-2 @ Dead Mans Curve -- I-90 (2 lanes) exits via DMC while SR-2 continues west (2 lanes).
3) Westbound I-90 @ I-271 Local & Express) -- I-90 (2 lanes) exits to the right while both the I-271 Local & Express Lanes continue continue straight (4 lanes total).
4) Southbound I-71 @ I-480 West/SR 237 South -- I-71 (2 lanes) exits to the right via a flyover while the ramp to both I-480 West and SR-237 South continue straight (3 lanes total).
As is Akron:
1) Central Interchange (I-77 North to I-76 West multiplex and the I-76 East/I-77 South Multiplex to I-77 South)
2) I-76 West/I-77 North Split and the I-76 East to I-77 South Multiplex
3) I-76 West to US-224 West Multiplex and the I-76/US-224 East Split.
2) & 3) comprise both the northern and southern termini of the "Kenmore Leg"/Kenmore Expressway respectively.
Not to mention the fact that the Kenmore Leg has only four lanes in total (two lanes each way) so it is not uncommon (especially westbound) for traffic to back up all the way to the Innerbelt just to stay on I-76.
You also have to look at SR 8 southbound at the Central Interchange in the fact that they are usually backed up as well, especially due to the fact that the sign for people to go to I-77 South only has one lane when two lanes are actually used. On the recent signs, there is a second arrow pointing that out but it shows that one was added in.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg201.imageshack.us%2Fimg201%2F6852%2Fvideo70134602.jpg&hash=be92a36a430eadb74efbd02f31a34f3eb9035fc7)
:sombrero: Worst design? Been years since I've been to Baja, but the road(s) that lead to Highway 1 toll road. If your not careful, you get LOST easy!!
Here in Maine....the stupid roundabouts. I can get thru them myself, but also easy to get hit here. See video:
http://www.channels.com/episodes/show/4673926/Augusta-roundabouts#/episodes/show/4673926/Augusta-roundabouts
I-459 Exit 19 (US 280) is quite messed up. Traffic going from I-459 South to US 280 has to merge across traffic from Northbound I-459 headed for BOTH directions of US 280. US 280 westbound still to this day only carriers two lanes through the interchange (the left lane become a turn lane for I-459 South). The ramp from I-459 S to US 280 W become the right lane and the next traffic light on US 280 is for a major shopping center on the right.
Memphis has some of the worst TOTSOs I have seen. One is the I-55 at Crump Blvd/Riverside Dr. interchange. Heading SB on I-55 just past the Mississippi River bridge, Crump Blvd continues straight ahead while I-55 takes a ramp to the right. NB I-55 is even worse-straight ahead is Riverside Dr. while turning on a cloverleaf ramp is required to stay on I-55. Also because of the canceled portion of I-40 running through Overton Park, staying on I-40 requires taking ramps off at both the eastern and western junctions with I-240.
Not anymore at the western junction. That got rebuilt a few years ago to where I-40 is effectively the "through route" at the interchange now.
I-55 at Crump/Riverside is the worst of the Memphis-area offenders. But TDOT is studying how to fix it.
I am going to nominate the mess that is I-295, I-76 and NJ-42. If you're heading north on I-295 and wish to stay there, you have to deal with NJ-42 traffic, and four lanes merging into three. If you are heading south, but wish to head to Philly, you also have traffic from US 130, plus NJ 168 has a connector.
Quote from: huskeroadgeek on May 19, 2010, 02:39:22 AM
Memphis has some of the worst TOTSOs I have seen. One is the I-55 at Crump Blvd/Riverside Dr. interchange. Heading SB on I-55 just past the Mississippi River bridge, Crump Blvd continues straight ahead while I-55 takes a ramp to the right. NB I-55 is even worse-straight ahead is Riverside Dr. while turning on a cloverleaf ramp is required to stay on I-55. Also because of the canceled portion of I-40 running through Overton Park, staying on I-40 requires taking ramps off at both the eastern and western junctions with I-240.
They should really route I-55 along I-40 and 240 through Memphis and West Memphis. The part of I-55 from West Memphis to the Crump Blvd/I-55 interchange would revert to the US highways, while the part from I-240 to the Crump interchange would be an odd 3 digit interstate.