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Regional Boards => Central States => Topic started by: Ned Weasel on May 31, 2021, 09:15:28 AM

Title: Kansas's First Continuous-Flow Intersection
Post by: Ned Weasel on May 31, 2021, 09:15:28 AM
Old US 56 and Lone Elm Road in Olathe: https://www.kctv5.com/news/local_news/new-olathe-intersection-is-first-of-its-kind-in-kansas/article_d5ccde76-b8ee-11eb-91b1-2ff6e02731af.html

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned here yet.  I haven't seen the construction, because I rarely drive that way, but apparently it's almost done.

Serious (okay, snarky) question:  If the through movements on Old US 56 are such a problem, warranting an upgraded intersection, then why did they get rid of the grade-separated diamond interchange in the first place?   :spin:

Also, the introduction to the video is just hilarious.  "Roundabouts, four-way stops, diverging diamonds--the KC Metro has almost every kind of intersection you can think of."  Wait, four-way stops are somehow special?  Well, I guess they would be in countries that don't use a lot of stop signs.  And I'm glad they said "almost any kind of intersection you can think of," because I don't know of any true Michigan Lefts in the KC Metro Area (although Wichita had a couple of temporary ones), and there are only two jughandles (both with minimal signage and one of which is arguably not a real jughandle, by virtue of using a side road to access it).
Title: Re: Kansas's First Continuous-Flow Intersection
Post by: SkyPesos on May 31, 2021, 09:30:43 AM
Quote from: stridentweasel on May 31, 2021, 09:15:28 AM
Also, the introduction to the video is just hilarious.  "Roundabouts, four-way stops, diverging diamonds--the KC Metro has almost every kind of intersection you can think of."
I love that intro, considering MoDOT, at least, uses a lot of "unconventional"  (for the lack of a better term) interchanges. Like I'm still trying to figure out a name for the I-35 and MO 152 interchange (hybrid Diamond/DDI or a continuous flow interchange on one side?)  Not sure about KDOT, but the Kansas side of the metro have a few interesting things too.
Title: Re: Kansas's First Continuous-Flow Intersection
Post by: bwana39 on June 01, 2021, 03:57:12 PM
There is one of these at FM2148 and US-59 south of Texarkana

https://goo.gl/maps/WtzzqKAvgtyfFKSu8
Title: Re: Kansas's First Continuous-Flow Intersection
Post by: Ned Weasel on June 01, 2021, 04:51:35 PM
Quote from: bwana39 on June 01, 2021, 03:57:12 PM
There is one of these at FM2148 and US-59 south of Texarkana

https://goo.gl/maps/WtzzqKAvgtyfFKSu8

That's not a continuous-flow intersection.  That's just a T-intersection with a through movement bypassing the signal.
Title: Re: Kansas's First Continuous-Flow Intersection
Post by: The Ghostbuster on June 03, 2021, 02:09:40 PM
Where else in Kansas might a Continuous-Flow Intersection be feasible? Wichita, Topeka, and some of the other Kansas City suburbs seem like good possibilities.
Title: Re: Kansas's First Continuous-Flow Intersection
Post by: skluth on June 05, 2021, 02:28:02 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on June 03, 2021, 02:09:40 PM
Where else in Kansas might a Continuous-Flow Intersection be feasible? Wichita, Topeka, and some of the other Kansas City suburbs seem like good possibilities.

Before I moved from St Louis, I used this CFI (https://www.google.com/maps/@38.5041302,-90.457739,512m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en) frequently. It works quite well. Other suburban/exurban areas where a major highway crosses a local road with a fair amount of cross-traffic would probably work as well. US 54/400 at Goddard Road in Goddard and several other crossings either side of Wichita might be good candidates. It's certainly cheaper (though not safer) than building an inexpensive diamond interchange at these crossings.